If you ask HR directors what are their most important strategic priorities then employee engagement is likely to be at or near the top of the list. But in reality few are getting this right, according to recent global surveys. For example, the recent Modern Survey finds only 10% of employees are engaged, according to an article by Jacob Morgan. He cites other reports with similar results, by Gallup and Blessing White.

Another article, “The Sharp Drop-Off In Worker Happiness–And What Your Company Can

Do About It”, by Mark Crowley on Fast Company’s Expert Blog, cites New York’s Conference Board, whose employee satisfaction survey has shown satisfaction and engagement has gone down every year since the survey started 25 years ago.

Crowley offers advice on what employers can do to address this and provides supporting evidence. His three key messages are:

1. What makes people happiest in their jobs is all profoundly personal.

2. People only thrive when they feel recognized and appreciated.

3. Your employees will stay if you tell them directly you need them, care about them, and sincerely plan to support them.

“Unfortunately the number 1 area where the panel (of over 1,300 directors, heads of departments and senior Managers) feel they need to improve to increase employee engagement levels within their organisation is good line management. Fix that and you fix the problem.”

Unfortunately, line management is precisely the area where organisations are failing, according to the latest Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) latest Employee Outlook survey. Three-quarters of employees report a lack of leadership and management skills, and believe that too many managers have an inflated opinion of their management abilities, according to the research released last week. The (CIPD) latest Employee Outlook survey suggested that there is a “reality gap” between how good managers think they are in their roles and how effective they actually are.

Read on to find links to the latest articles on a range of other HR strategy related articles including HR data and analytics, social media, organisational change, talent management, leadership and performance management.

Posted by Joanne Royce of Royce Associates. The article is based on a presentation by Sidneyeve Matrix, Queen’s National Scholar and Assistant Professor in the Department of Media and Film at Queen’s University, Canada.

Are Worker Rights Human Rights? Framing worker rights as human rights elevates individual entitlement over what is in the interest of the community, solidarity, or civic virtue. By Richard Mcintyre on CSR Wire.

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